Loyalty Lobby: "After several other countries have already expanded their list of countries whose citizens can pass immigration through electronic gates, Taiwan has expanded its own list as well."
Eligible Countries
Head for Points: "On Wednesday, Virgin Atlantic published the scientific findings from the innovative ‘Flight100’ SAF test flight it operated in November last year."
"One key feature of Flight100 is that it required no modifications to the aircraft, engines or any other aspect of flight. It was treated as a normal, commercial operation and held to all the same safety standards. The only difference was that the fuel used came from waste sources rather than virgin fossil fuels."
Notable Highlights From The Report
The test flight was completed on a Boeing 787-9 with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. The data was compared to that of a flight on this aircraft with traditional fuel. This is how the sustainable fuel flight performed:
Forbes: "Hamidaddin was touting the rollout of the region’s upcoming “unified GCC visa,” a travel permit similar to Europe’s Schengen visa that will allow more than 30 consecutive days of inter-country travel throughout the six Gulf Cooperation Council member nations: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. While no date has been announced, officials say the visa is expected to launch by the end of 2024."
Enilria: "Delta says it plans to drop the requirement to collect and recheck your bags on arrival in the USA if you are connecting. The plan would start with Japan."
"I’m shocked Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) are onboard with it, although most of the rest of the world does it this way. The only large country outside North America I’m aware of that also requires recheck is China. The EU definitely doesn’t require it, although that may not be at all airports. Mega hubs like Dubai (DXB) couldn’t function if they did this."
Disclosure: I serve on a Bilt advisory board and may earn a commission if you use the links below.
Bilt and BLADE are launching an exciting new partnership today. Here are the details.
Bilt members will earn 2x bonus points when booking BLADE. You can use any debit or credit card that's linked to your Bilt account to pay and you'll still earn the 2x bonus points.
There are also benefits for three levels of Bilt status:
Bookings do not need to be made via the Bilt app or website to qualify for the 2x bonus points. You just need to use a card linked to your Bilt account.
However, you do need to book via the Bilt app or website to take advantage of the 10% discount available to those with Silver, Gold, and Platinum status. Additionally, Platinum members must book via the Bilt app or website to redeem their free flight.
If you're interested in earning points on rent, learn more about the Bilt Card.
Points Wire Note:
Anyone who has ever braved rush hour traffic from JFK to Manhattan (or vice versa) will be tempted by this new partnership, especially with a 10% discount.
NerdWallet: "Less than two months after JetBlue Airways rolled out a baggage fee price increase, the airline has added another wrinkle. JetBlue hiked baggage prices again with dynamic “peak” and “off-peak” pricing — essentially surge pricing for luggage."
"The cost of checking one bag on most JetBlue flights during peak travel dates is now $5 higher, at $40, while the cost of checking a second bag has risen $10, to $60 each way. And those are the prices if you check a bag more than 24 hours before departure. Wait until you get to the airport during peak travel days and you’ll pay a whopping $50 for the first checked bag and $70 for the second checked bag."
The Points Guy: "Beginning Friday, March 22, travelers will be able to sign up for seat notifications and get automatically moved if their preferred seat is not available at the time of booking, as confirmed by a United spokesperson."
"When booking (or managing) a flight on the mobile app, you'll be able to request your desired seat while browsing the seat map."
Update: The end date has been extended through July 15, 2024. The registration deadline was extended to June 30, 2024.
Hyatt is out with a new promotion for two brands. If you stay at Dream Hotels or Thompson Hotels by July 15, 2024, you can earn double elite night credits. To participate, you must register before your stay. The deadline to register is June 30 2024.
This promo stacks with Hyatt's spring promo as well so you can earn bonus points and bonus elite nights when you stay at Dream and Thompson properties.
Points Wire Note:
You can book via Hyatt Privé to get VIP perks such as daily breakfast for two, up to a $100 property credit, one category upgrade, welcome amenity, etc. There isn't a minimum stay requirement for Thompson Hotels. Hyatt Privé rates are eligible for both promos. That means you can get extra perks, extra points, and extra elite nights!
CNBC: "First class on Frontier? Not quite. But the budget airline on Tuesday launched a new add-on to get more room at the front of its tightly packed planes — with no middle seat neighbor."
"On flights starting April 10, Frontier will offer UpFront Plus in the first two rows of its Airbus planes, where it will block the sale of the middle seat. Those seats will also include four to five inches more legroom compared with most of the seats on the planes, an airline spokeswoman said."
Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you use the links below.
One Mile At A Time: "Unfortunately as of May 15, 2024, Hyatt and SLH will be terminating their relationship, in what they describe as a mutual decision."
Important World Of Hyatt Info
Points Wire Note:
Hilton Honors will have an exclusive partnership with Small Luxury Hotels (SLH) going forward. I don't expect the award rates to be great, but maybe they'll surprise me.
Many SLH properties participate in Virtuoso and SLH's own program withIN. Which program is better will depend on the property. Use this link to search and book with extra benefits.
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